A GROUP of intrepid teenagers are preparing for a trek into one of the great wildlife conservation areas of the world.

For five pupils at Bury Church of England High School have been presented with a trip to the Tsavo East National Park in Kenya.

Over the past 18 months Harriet Percival, Jemma Jones, Lindsay O'Toole, Bernadette York and Christopher Brain have raised £9,500 for the Sheldrick Wildlife trust.

The cash will be used to buy a desperately needed lorry for the Trust and in July the five will present the lorry to Daphne Sheldrick's orphan elephant and rhino project in Kenya.

In addition to learning about the "real" Africa, the group will be taking part in their own private safari in which they will have the rare opportunity to see the school's adopted orphans, Scud the Rhino and Ajok the elephant, who are being rehabilitated and returned to the wild in the Tsavo Park by Daphne and her team. Throughout their tireless fund-raising campaign, which has seen the five packing carrier bags at Asda, holding various raffles and sponsored events and at one time saw Christopher turning up for school sporting a yellow head of hair, the group have been encouraged by the UK charity "Care For The Wild".

The trip has been arranged by the travel companies Tropical Places, Somak Travel, Block Hotels, Southern Cross Safaris and Serena Hotels.

The students, who only learned of their good fortune at a surprise ceremony on Sunday, will be accompanied by teacher Jackie Vet and cameraman Dave Rogers.

Support for the venture has also been provided by the Trustee Savings Bank, Departures Travel of Accrington, Asda Store Pilsworth, Empire Stores, Slattery's Chocolatier and Patissier and Body Shop.

Anyone who wants more information or can support the group in any way should contact Mrs Vet at the school on 0161 797 6236.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.